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HOW LEADERS ENGENDER TRUST

Posted on September 18th, 2012 by ecgadmin

Building Trust in Organizations

Co-authored by Tania Wood and Amanda Green, Edited by Amanda Green

September 14, 2012

Trust is a crucial ingredient for successful leaders. Leadership expert and author, Peter Northouse, cites trust as a key factor in guiding organizations to success. (Northouse, 2010). Research points to two key skills that support engendering trust in organizations:
• Instinct
• Intelligences

Instinct
In his book, Frames of Minds, Howard Gardner cites good instinct as an important leadership quality. However, he describes instinct in a way that may be different than the commonly understood definition. He writes, “[i]t is not so much gut feelings, however, as it is discussing issues with trusted colleagues, awaiting feedback and then making decisions .” Leaders may also exercise instinct by reflecting upon their past experiences, comparing the present issue and making a decision based on this information. Soliciting input from others not only gives a leader more data for decision-making; it also builds trust by giving others an opportunity to share experiences.

Intelligences
In order to build trust in organizations, leaders should certainly demonstrate intelligence. Traditional views of intelligence may help to engender trust by improving the leader’s credibility. Interestingly, other delineations of intelligence, such as multiple intelligences and emotional intelligence may be even more effective for building trust.

Howard Gardner developed the multiple intelligence theory which recognizes that people learn and manage information differently. Gardner identified eight abilities, and two are most relevant to leadership: interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence. Interpersonal intelligence helps leaders determine others’ motivations. Intrapersonal intelligence describes a leader’s self-awareness. Understanding others’ motivations as well as their own enables leaders to make more informed decisions. Additionally, self-aware leaders have more confidence, empower others and develop other leaders. All of these qualities build trust.

Emotional intelligence (EI), introduced by author Daniel Goleman as a driver for leadership performance, is an ability to distinguish, evaluate and guide the emotions of oneself, others and groups. Leaders demonstrating EI are better able to relate to others and build relationships.

In summary, a leader’s ability to recognize and respond to others in different ways demonstrates the leader’s aptitude in multiple intelligence and/or emotional intelligence. These skills are also useful in practicing good instincts. Leaders exhibiting good instincts, multiple intelligence and emotional intelligence have a great advantage in engendering trust in organizations. There are other benefits of building trust besides the obvious. Engendering trust within one’s organization may result in a better bottom line: “[l]eaders who used styles that positively affected a climate had decidedly better financial results than those who did not. ”

About the Authors:

Tania Wood is currently the Executive Director of Marketing and Distribution Finance at Relativity Media, an independent film studio based in Los Angeles. She is a founding partner in greenwood consultancy and works as an adjunct professor at Bay Path College where she teaches Business Marketing and Branding for their women’s undergraduate program. She is also a guest lecturer for the undergraduate Business program at Pepperdine University.

While her work has been primarily in the for profit sector in the finance and budgeting arena she has and continues to work in the non-profit sector as well. Wood’s non-profit experience includes a year-long stint at Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers as their Marketing Development Manager where she helped create and oversaw their Be Part of a Tradition campaign, the organization’s second highest earning campaign since inception in 1939. She also possesses a background in fundraising for non-profits, having completed her training in fundraising for non-profits at University of Indiana at Purdue’s School of Philanthropy. Wood’s pro bono work includes working with Machine Consultancy, Los Angeles, to develop customized plans for community empowerment of the urban poor in Los Angeles.

Tania Wood is a certified paralegal, holds a degree in Business Management from Pepperdine University, a Masters in Media Psychology from Fielding Graduate School where her work included an emphasis on children and Internet safety and is currently pursuing her doctorate in Organizational Leadership at Pepperdine University’s Graduate School of Education and Psychology. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her daughter.

Amanda Green is currently a Regional Director for the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a national non-profit organization working to eliminate childhood obesity. In this role, she supports nine staff members who are leading change in public schools across the country. Amanda’s career started in developing international training programs and has since focused in the public service sector. She is a founding partner in greenwood consultancy.

Amanda graduated magna cum laude with dual degrees from Florida State University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications. She also minored in Spanish and studied abroad at the University of San Pedro in Costa Rica. Amanda received a Master of Science in Management: Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness from the University of South Florida. An avid learner, she is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership at Pepperdine University.

Amanda was awarded the Corporation for National and Community Service’s Unsung Hero Award in 2007. She is a recipient of the Presidential Volunteer Service Award for serving more than 4,000 hours of community service in her lifetime. She chairs the AmeriCorps Alums of Greater Tampa Bay Chapter and serves as a representative on the National NCCC Alumni Leadership Council. In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering, traveling, sailing and practicing yoga.

Mike Rega speaks to Pepperdine Unviersity

Posted on August 6th, 2012 by ecgadmin

Mike Rega gave a presentation to doctorate students at Pepperdine University located in Malibu, California on the fundamentals of the consulting market – strategy, planning and solutions.

He covered the Three Phases of Consulting:
1. Entrepreneurial
2. Growth
3. Transition

Among other topics to help them with their thesis studies.

Rega intends to become a regular adjunct lecturer for the university.

2012 Article of the Year by the American Society of Safety Engineers

Posted on August 6th, 2012 by ecgadmin

Article “Developing Impenetrable Business Relationships” by Mike Rega was named Article of the Year by the American Society of Safety Engineers for 2012.

Article excerpt:

What separates top professional Key Client Managers from the ordinary is their ability to penetrate and forge a genuine bond with key players within the organization. Whether it is their planning, their sheer determination, the strength of their personalities, their hard work, or an infinite number of other possible combinations, the result is that the client feels the Key Client Manager is a vital and important element of their organization.

There are two attitude requirements for a Key Client Manager.

Commitment – The client must feel the Key Client Manager truly understands their unique situation and problems. This could range from a major technical problem or organizational problem to a political problem within the company. The key is responsiveness. It is an attitude of concern and commitment — jumping in and being totally committed to helping the client without hesitating or making the client feel obligated.

Expertise – Key Client Managers must understand the client’s business as well as their own. For managers to penetrate the account, they must possess an attitude of expertise. This requires you to stay current with technology, market trends, and client issues.

More About Ecliptic

Posted on September 8th, 2011 by ecgadmin

Since 1958 when Persuasive Communication was born in the Management School of Northwestern University in Chicago, we have led the private sector in organizational talent development. ECG’s range of programs are broad and multifaceted encompassing all disciplines of management and business development. We provide instructional expertise to clients expanding their internal talent and business growth opportunities across the globe.